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Assuming that you read my previous post, you’re probably really excited about the new Connect mobile app. We talked about how more and more people are using DIY tax filing mobile apps, how having your own mobile app helps improve your business, and why we decided to develop Connect. Now I’d like to dive deeper into how it works and why the Connect app would be an amazing addition to your tool belt.

Let’s break it down into parts and make sense of everything.

We will provide each ERO with a unique link to their mobile app

Think of this unique link as the connection between your client and your app. Once your client clicks on the link, it will redirect them to app store where they can download the Connect app.

Here’s the really cool part. Once they download the app, it will open the exact same way you set it up on the Refundo Dashboard. The screen will consist of an image of your logo, your company name, company description, and the color of your choosing.

In other words, even though we created the platform, it will only show your personalized touch. We think it helps validate your brand and your business to taxpayers.

Before you begin sharing the link with your clients, it’s important to understand what is the most effective way to reach out to them. You can use email marketing campaigns, direct mail campaigns, social media, and even services that offer text message campaigns in order to inform your clients of any updates.

Let’s assume your clients prefer email as the best form of communication. We recommend setting up the new feature in two different ways:

Create an email explaining the arrival of your new mobile application to your clients

a. Then attach the unique link to the bottom of the email

Include App Store badges at the end of every email (your signature) and/or your website. This will keep the app relevant in the minds of your clients, which causes them to share information about it.

Let Taxpayers do the Rest

After your customers open the app and create an account, then they go through the process of filing a return. Unlike most tax mobile apps, we’ve simplified the process and made it extremely easy for taxpayers to use the app. Some tax mobile apps will just assume you should understand what to do, but I can tell you from personal experience that I just felt overwhelmed and unsure if I was completing it properly. I just felt a bit lost and confused with the return.

For that reason we’ve broken this process into two parts:

Taxpayers will have the opportunity to choose scenarios that correspond with their tax situation. Once they choose these scenarios, we will provide the appropriate questions to answer based on the scenarios they chose.

For example, let’s say I choose these following scenarios: Single, Job, Dependents, Own Home. The app will generate questions that are specific to these scenarios, and it’s my responsibility to answer these questions. This information will then be stored for the ERO to reference, but I’ll get into more of that a little later.

Taxpayers will also have an opportunity to take pictures of their W2s, 1099s etc. These forms will be saved and sent to the ERO in order to file a return.

At this point, we’ve managed to gather all the necessary information to start the return. Here’s an important question to ask: How do they receive that information?

The mobile app will be directly connected to the Refundo dashboard. We’ve created a separate tab for the Connect app, so that you’re capable of viewing all the information that gets sent through the app. Along with viewing the information, our system will be able to fill in the information into your tax software. Wait a second. So you mean to tell me that all of this will magically appear in my tax software? Yup. My mind is officially blown.

It seriously doesn’t get much better than this.

Now that you have an understanding of how taxpayers will complete the information and how EROs will be receiving it, please stay tuned for our next post on how we utilize a chat to finish the process.